ANGLO  ABORIGINAL 


A  BURLESQUE, 


IN  FI  V  F  CAN  T  E  R  S. 


ANGLO  AB-ORIGINAL 


SLEIGHING  SONG, 

fit  JtSre  Canters. 


WRITTEN  AFTER  LONGFELLOW. 


AIR-HIGHWAYTHERE. 


DEDICATED  TO  THE  MARSHALS  AND  THEIR  NEIGH-BORS. 


NEW  HAVEN: 

T.  J.  STAFFORD,  PRINTER. 


1856. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2020  with  funding  from 
Getty  Research  Institute 


https://archive.org/details/angloaboriginalsOOunse 


ANGLO  AB-ORIGINAL, 


WRITTEN  AFTER 


LONGFELLOW’S  HIGHWAYTHERE. 


CANT(0)ER  I. 

Come,  ye  Northmen,  hear  the  story, 

Trial  sleighing  Epic  hear  ye. 

Earth’s  white  blanket,  snow,  had  fallen, 
Winter’s  solstice  hung  in  Heaven: 

Down  the  hills  of  Hammonassett, 

Smoothly  slipped  the  sleds,  boy-freighted, 
And  to  ease  the  limbs,  when  jaded, 

Horse  to  sleds  was  shortly  added. 

V 

Westward  soon  the  train  band  wandered, 
Till  Guilford  boys  looked  on  and  wondered. 

it. 

Ancient  pride  could  not  be  smothered, 
Joining  pride  with  ride,  they  gathered 
Sleighs,  old  sleighs  and  new,  in  number”’ 
Heretofore  hosts  far  exceeding. 

Western  people,  eyes  wide  opened, 

Saw  the  lengthened  train  approaching. 
Came  they,  went  they, — not  to  conquer. 


♦ 


4 


III. 

Bows  once  bent  by  Hammonassett, 

Or  warriors  on  the  Aigi  comae, 

Sped  a  straightened  arrow  faster, 

And  redoubling,  sent  it  quicker, 

Than  those  of  western  Sachem’s  quiver. 
When  half  way  through  the  second  moon, 
Sol  the  snow  clad  earth  was  searching ; 

Icy  pond  and  hooded  river 
Cloaked  their  faces  from  his  sight, 

Groves  held  upward  to  their  giver, 

Frosted  fruit  on  silver  branches, 

Nature  tossed  her  diamond  bracelet, 
Toward  the  sport  of  rival  sleighing. 

High  noon  saw  the  horses  driven, 

Till  the  center  of  the  township 
Madison,  Avith  mirth  was  vocal. 

Clinton’s  sons  add  on  a  column, 

Till  the  long  line,  uoav  twice  doubled, 

Sees  the  lengthy  line  still  length’ning, 

Sees  ten,  three  score,  a  hundred  sleighs, 

To  Menunketuc  all  traveling. 

Then  their  horses  ran  and  cantered, 

With  their  gay  and  streaming  banners, 
With  their  sleighs  on  tripping  runners  ; 
On  they  sped,  crossed  Aigicomac, 

Came  to  Old  hill,  windy  Clapboard ; 
Wound  upon  its  lofty  summit. 

Tavo  score  horsemen  uoav  had  met  them, 

W aiting  saw,  and  looking  Avaited, 

Till  old  Tempus  hurried  forward. 

Horses  galloped,  jumped,  and  ran, 

Till  the  foremost  sleigh  they  headed. 
Through  Menunketuc  they  led  them, 
Round  about  the  village  took  them, 


Brought  them  to  the  Green,  now  whitened. 
People  watched  them,  marked  their  bearing, 
Asked  them  kindly  whence  they  came  from, 
Spoke  of  eastern  lands  and  sunrise, 

Laughing  snouted,  bade  them  welcome: 

“  Welcome  to  thee,  Sebequanash, 

And  to  Hull,  named  Ashbel,  next  thee, 

And  to  Webb,  called  Reynold,  Doctor, 

That  you’ve  done  is  done  and  wrell  done.” 
Home  to  Ilammonasset  hied  they, 

Hull,  and  Webb,  and  Sebequanash. 

IV. 

Then  Menunketuc  rose  quickly, 

Then  outspoke  chief  Quesaquanash, 

“  Eastern  tribes  shall  not  o’ercome  us, 

Rouse  the  hunters,  bring  your  kindred, 

To  their  country  let  us  hasten, 

And,  outnumbering,  teach  them  this, 

Where  our  strength  lies  and  our  prowess.” 
Then  together  came  their  forces, 

Came  their  men  and  women,  horses : 

When  in  line, — their  chief  surveyed  them, 
Saw  the  horsemen  with  their  dresses, 

Saw  the  joyous,  lovely  daughters, 

On  the  pillions  riding  after, 

Saw  the  Elephantine  monster, 

Saw  Town  Mill  with  grist  and  hopper,. 

Saw  the  Maine  Law  represented, 

Saw  the  chaise  with  inmates  seated. 

Marshals  called  he  round  about  him, 

Bid  them  ride  their  steeds  right  nobly, 

Took  his  calumet  and  smoked  it, 

Wound  his  wampum  round  about  him ; 

From  the  Westward  quickly  started, 

Crossed  East  River,  Aigicomac, 


Came  to  lands  of  Sebequanash, 

Came  to  lands  of  Hammonassett, 

Came  to  where  the  horsemen  met  them. 
Came  with  colors  proudly  floating, 

Came  with  cutters,  sleighs  and  jumpers, 
Strong  two  hundred  fifty,  numbered, 
Crossed  the  plains  of  Hammonassett. 

Sons  of  Hammonassett  met  them, 

Sons  of  Sebaquanash  met  them, 

Joyfully  did  all  receive  them, 

Waved  their  banners  proudly  o’er  them, 
Cheered  behind,  around,  before  them. 
Then  homeward  went  Menunketuc, 

And  westward  went  Quesaquanash  ; 
Looked  Menunketuc  most  lordly, 

Smoked  Quesaquanash  most  proudly. 

Y. 

How,  throughout  all  Hammonassett, 

To  Menunketesuc  river, 

Where  dwelt  Pachaugs,  Quahaug  diggers, 
E’en  almost  to  Mattabesett, 

Rose  the  men  of  stalwart  measure, 

Rose  the  lads  of  noble  figure, 

Called  the  heroes  all  together, 

Called  little  chieftain  Pettipaug, 

Called  from  woodland,  plain  and  river ; 
All  the  people  came  together. 

On  the  Great  Chief’s  Pirth-I)ay  was  it. 
Tail  bird  Shanghai,  loudly  crowing, 

Rote  of  warning  gave  to  turn  out, 

Oozing  steam  from  steamer  “  Persia,” 
Drums  and  cymbals,  horn  and  trumpet, 
Each  announced  the  long  procession. 

Up,  around,  down,  through,  and  after, 
Sleighs  three  hundred  fifty,  numbered, 


Ran  their  rude  and  model  runners. 
Likeness  of  the  great  chief  Father, 
Swayed  above  them  like  a  sceptre, 
Daniels’  last  not  latest  rode  by, 

Busy  son  of  Crispin,  Daniels 

With  liis^awl,  thread,  wax  and  hammer, 

Followed  close  by  sled  of  butcher, 

Ox  upon  it,  fell  by  sleighing, 

Thine  the  hide  be,  ours  the  meat  be, 
Wheel  to  spin  flax,  man  to  dress  it, 

Sled  with  pole  in  Coons  upon  it, 

Stuffed  outrider  strapped,  on  horseback, 
Saddlebags  and  monstrous  trunk  rack, 
Men  with  masks  and  men  in  costume, 
Men  clothed  quaintly,  primly,  grandly. 
Hearing  this  chief  Quesaquanash, 

Called  Shaumpishuh  and  old  Totoket, 
Carroughood  and  Wesaucucke, 

Told  Montewese  and  Momauguin, 

Told  those  on  shores  of  Quonnepaug, 
Told  those  on  shores  of  Pestipang. 

Each  with  totem  borne  above  him, 
Representing  tribe  and  Sachem, 

Hosts  of  lookers  on  assembled. 

Sleighs  with  jovial,  joyful  brothers, 
Sleighs  with  queenly  beauty’s  daughters, 
Sleighs  with  joyous,  happy  mothers, 
Sleighs  with  talking,  sturdy  fathers, 

To  Menunketuc  drove  swiftly. 

“Tribes  of  Ilammonassett,  Welcome!” 
Sang  the  girls  of  Shaumpishuh. 

All  their  showy  colors  blended, 

Waved  their  welcomes  oft  and  often, 

Old  bell  hammers  rang  their  loudest, 
Drums  rolled  music,  horns  blew  merry, 
Cheers  met  spreading  flaring  bonnet, 


8 


Cheers  tipped  goosewings  hung  upon  it, 
Cheers  met  men  while  huge  hats  jostled, 
Cheers  met  girls  ’mong  green  boughs  nestled, 
Cheers  rose  on  cheers  and  cheers  went  back, 
Southwest  breezes  blessings  wafted, 

Numerous  words  of  gentle  measure 
Made  the  pleasant  scene  delightful. 

Day  of  days  long  to  be  thought  of, 

Golden  fretted  skies  closed  o’er  thee, 

Pleasing  memories  hang  about  thee, 

Mind  shall  grasp  thy  glories  often, 

As  the  “  Marvelous  story  teller,” 

As  the  sober  staid  free  thinker, 

As  Historic  prosy  writers 
Turn  the  pages  of  Hereafter. 


NOTES. 

Hammonassett, — Territory  between  Guilford  and  Connecticut  river. 
Sebequanash, — Sachem  of  the  Hammonassetts. 

Menunketuc, — Guilford. 

Shaumpishuh, — Sachem  squaw  of  Menunketuc. 

Quesaquanash, — Chief  in  Menunketuc. 

Uarrougliood  and  Wesaucucke — Chief  men  in  Menunketuc. 

Montewese, — Sachem  of  the  Quinnipiacs,  whose  territory  included  New 
Haven,  East  Haven  and  Branford. 

Momauguin, — Chief  of  the  Quinnipiacs. 

Matlabessett, — Middletown,  and  territory  southward  to  Hammonassett. 
Pouclioug , — W  estbrook. 

Pettipaug, — petty  Chief  of  Hammonassett,  near  Essex, 

Totoket, — North  Branford. 

Aigicomac,  Menunketesuc,  and  Hammonasset, — Rivers  in  towns  of  Mad-  i 
ison,  Clinton,  and  Westbrook. 

Quonnepaug  and  Pestipaug, — Lakes  in  Quinnipiac  territory. 

Quahaug, — Clam. 

Totem, — Family  Coat  of  Arms. 


(r  C~  2  ~ 


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